Hearts returned to winning ways in the cinch Premiership with a deserved victory against St. Mirren in windy conditions in Paisley.
Jorge Grant’s first half penalty had the Jambos on their way after Marcus Fraser was judged to have handled whilst blocking a Kenneth Vargas effort. A chaotic goalmouth scramble followed in the second 45 as a Mikael Mandron own goal doubled Hearts’ lead.
Toyosi Olunsanya pulled one back for the Buddies on the break, but a solid Hearts side battled through conditions to secure a massive three points in the race for third.
St Mirren went close early on, with Caolan Boyd-Munce's wind-assisted corner catching Zander Clark, with Scott Tanser's connection driving across the far post.
Hearts took the lead just after the half-hour mark. Alex Cochrane's free kick fell for Kenneth Vargas, and as Marcus Fraser slid in to block the shot, a subsequent VAR review judged he had handled with Jorge Grant stroking confidently down the middle past Zach Hemming.
The game settled somewhat in the second half as conditions eased.
Kenneth Vargas went close on occasion, with St Mirren, chasing a top six place, twice forcing Clark into saves in quick succession.
But just after the hour mark Hearts made it two. Cochrane's corner landed on the head of Zach Hemming and as the ball flew about the box in a pinball style, it was eventually prodded over the line my Mandron.
Toyosi Olusanya quickly fired back for St Mirren, getting on the end of a long ball - running almost the length of the pitch to slot past Clark.
St Mirren had a penalty shout denied in the dying moments of the game after Aidan Denholm was suspected to have brought down Conor McMenamin. VAR called Muir over to the monitor to check it and the official ruled no spot kick.
Despite pushing forward for an equaliser St Mirren couldn't make their chances count, with Hearts returning up the road with all three points.
St. Mirren: Hemming, Fraser, Gogic, Taylor (Scott 79’), Bwomono (McMenamin 45’), Kwon (Baccus 45’), Boyd-Munce, Tanser, Olusanya, Mandron (Ayunga 64’), Kiltie (O’Hara 64’)
Subs: Urminsky, O’Hara, Ayunga, McMenamin, Scott, Baccus, Bolton, Dunne, Brown
Hearts: Clark, Lembikisa (Atkinson 73’), Kent, Kingsley (Sibbick 45’), Rowles, Cochrane, Devlin, Tait (Denholm 59’), Grant (Fraser 86’), Forrest (McKay 73’), Vargas
Subs: Gordon, Oda, Atkinson, McKay, Sibbick, Denholm, Fraser, Tagawa, Wilson
